Hebrews 4:2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
This verse speaks of the
wilderness generation of the Children of Israel, who failed to trust and
believe God. God took them out of a four hundred year slavery and sent them on
an eleven-day journey to the land promised their Father Abraham. Since they did
not believe God would provide for all their needs, grumbled, and complained
from day one, God made them wander in the wilderness for forty years. As
followers and believers in Christ Jesus, we have the Gospel and the same promises
from God today. Unfortunately, the message was of no value to them because
those that heard it did not apply faith to the promises. In the spirit of
transparency, it should be mentioned that the Children of Israel did not have
the Gospel as we know it today. However, they did have the promise of rest in
the land of their forefathers and the promise of the coming Messiah.
The principles and promises of
the Gospel are uncountable and can only be profitable to us when we apply faith
to the mixture. We can make the promises of God personal only by our faith in
God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13). As we study the Word of God, it is a living
being that is studying us and letting us know what our needs are (Hebrews
4:12). Through its evaluation of us, the Word of God is diagnosing our illness
and examining our hearts.
James tells us that just
listening to the Word is of no consequence to us, and we will be deceiving
ourselves unless we do what it says (James 1:22). Hearing the Word of God is
not sufficient, the Israelites of old listened to the Word, but it was not advantageous
to them since they failed to receive it in faith. So likewise, one can hear
God’s Word and experience a spiritual movement; however, it will not be
valuable if our faith is not applied.
Consider the joy of the
Israelites, freed from bondage in Egypt and on their way to the promised land.
Afterward, think about the hundreds of thousands of funerals in the wilderness.
The promises of God were at their beckoning call, but they only heard the Word
and did not apply faith. As Christians, we know what our future with Christ
Jesus holds; we know the joy of life eternal will be. However, the only way to
experience the joy of our salvation is to believe the truth of God’s Word and
place our faith and trust in the saving power of the Cross of Calvary.
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